


Same Snake, Different Skin

by Nightie0914



Category: Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: Darkiplier Mark Fischbach, Other, Wilford Warfstache x reader - Freeform, darkiplier x reader - Freeform, markiplier x reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 10:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25968220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightie0914/pseuds/Nightie0914
Summary: To many, a broken mirror is a bad omen. It symbolizes bad luck. Seven years of torment, or so they say. Little do they know, that a broken mirror could also be someone's saving grace. Those broken shards of glass could be the only thing keeping a soul from eternal damnation.
Relationships: Damien | The Mayor & Y/N | The District Attorney (Who Killed Markiplier?), Damien | The Mayor/Y/N | The District Attorney (Who Killed Markiplier?), Mark Fischbach/You, Wilford Warfstache | William J. Barnum | The Colonel & Y/N | The District Attorney, Wilford Warfstache | William J. Barnum | The Colonel/Y/N | The District Attorney
Comments: 26
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

"Will, please try to enjoy yourself tonight." You glanced at your husband from the corner of your eye. He stood by your side, posture perfect as always, nearly expressionless. As if he felt your gaze, he placed a hand on the small of your back. 

"Ah, that's something I'll only be able to accomplish if you're around, my dear." Even after several years of marriage, he could still make you go weak in the knees. The door to the mansion finally opened. The man, whom you assumed was the butler, greeted you both warmly and motioned you inside. "After you." The three of you stepped into the foyer.

"Welcome to Markiplier Manor." You felt William stiffen. In an attempt to comfort him, you wrapped an arm around his waist. He melted into your touch, pulling you closer. "Your invitations, please." William pulled two envelopes out of his coat pocket. One was addressed to you; (Y/F/N), the district attorney. The other was addressed to Colonel William Barnum, though you preferred to refer to him as your dazzling husband. The butler smiled brightly as he took the invitations. He wished you luck at the poker table. "The other guests are right this way. I will bring your drinks forthwith," he said with a wink. 

"I'm going to have a look around. I can see Damien through there. Go have fun," William murmured in your ear. You knew how much it hurt him to be in this place, after all this time, but you also knew how much more it hurt his heart to have not seen his friends in years. You grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze before flashing him a sad smile. 

"Alright, but don't get in too much trouble without me." William chuckled.

"Wouldn't dream of it, my dear."

You were thrilled to have another poker night. It was a common occurrence when you were all in college, but they sort of fizzled out once you got into your adult lives. Damien smiled and waved you over when you caught his eye. He wrapped you in an embrace, squeezing a laugh out of you. "Well, long time no see, old friend! How's the new office?" You shrugged.

"It'll take some getting used to, but I'm looking forward to the start of a new chapter in my life." You glanced around. "Where's Celine?" You had been friends with the mayor and his sister for as long as you could remember. The three of you practically grew up together. Everyone always joked that you were their long lost sibling. Damien was even the one who introduced you to William, and Celine was your maid of honor when you got married. She returned the favor when she got married to Mark. It wasn't long after their wedding that she cut contact with you. You were hurt, to say the least, but you still cared for her and wished her well. 

Damien sucked in a breath. He rubbed the back of his neck. "She's, uh, not coming tonight." Your brows knitted together, but Damien spoke again before you could voice your confusion. "Mark and Celine got divorced about a year and a half ago," he said quietly. You were taken aback. They seemed like such a cute couple. Damien glanced over your shoulder for a second. He smiled when his gaze returned to you. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up when I see you at the table-- as long as you don't rob me blind again." He clapped your shoulder and disappeared down a hall. 

Being left to your own devices, you aimlessly wandered through the manor. It had been ages since you were last here, but not much had changed. You were brought back to your senses when Mark gave his grand entrance and champagne flutes were passed around. Taking a sip of the bubbly drink, you knew this would be a very interesting night. 

It was a well-known fact that you weren't the best at holding your alcohol. Two or three drinks were enough to take you out, but you were having so much fun that it was nearly impossible to stop yourself from having more. It didn't help that the butler kept refilling your glass every time you turned around. You woke the next morning with your head throbbing, and you desperately wanted to throw the alarm clock out of the window. A sudden moment of panic settled in. A vague memory of William trying to fight someone resurfaced. Glancing around, there was no evidence of his presence ever being in your room. You got ready as quickly as your energy-drained body allowed. Damien turned away from his spot near the banister when he heard your door open. "Have you seen William this morning?" 

"I figured you would be worried. He's downstairs, passed out on the couch last night." You nodded, shoulders relaxing. A teasing smile flashed across Damien's face as he nudged you with his elbow. "How is our little monster this morning? Haven't seen you go that wild since our days in university." You pinched the bridge of your nose. It was too early in the morning for this.

"Well, I'm glad somebody remembers." Damien's laugh filled the air. You narrowed your eyes at him for a moment. "Did you do a keg stand last night?" His face reddened, and he stumbled over his words. It was your turn to laugh. "Look at you, Mr. Mayor! After I find William, I expect a full list of all the embarrassing things you did last night." Damien snorted, shaking his head.

"Yes, I suppose we'll have to catch you up. I'll see you at breakfast." 

The search for your husband began. You went down the grand staircase and followed various corridors. The mental map you had of the place had grown fuzzy, and you couldn't quite remember what part of the manor you were in. You stumbled into the lounge with a huff. This was nowhere near where you needed to be. You walked around the couch and froze. Mark was laying on the ground. His eyes were open, and his skin was a sickly hue. You couldn't bring yourself to believe the obvious. "Mark?" Your voice was hardly above a whisper. You knelt beside him, grabbing his wrist. No pulse. Mark was dead. As if on cue, lightning struck. A man you had just met the night before-- Abe, the detective-- waltzed into the room, exclaiming about the odd weather. He stopped in his tracks at the sight before him.

"My God, there's been a murder!" Lightning struck once more. Soon after, the butler and chef filed in. Both men shouted about the crime scene. Powerful lightning stuck when the word 'murder' was uttered, causing you to flinch every time. Abe's focus zeroed in on you. The detective grabbed you by the collar, yanking you to your feet. "What the hell happened here?" he snarled. You opened and closed your mouth. Words couldn't be found to explain the situation. Your mind was still wrapping around the fact that your friend was laying on the floor dead. "In case you haven't been paying attention, there's been a bit of a killing, and you're my prime suspect. So, you better get to explaining the what, when, where, and why you happen to be here, upon this man's death!" 

"I don't know what happened! I just found him like this." Your voice cracked, and you felt the familiar sting of tears filling your eyes. Abe narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak again, but the butler interrupted. He brought up the fact that the body was ice cold. Mark had been long gone by the time any of you had stumbled upon his body. The detective grumbled under his breath before finally releasing you.

"Alright, you're off the hook... for now." Abe suggested that the two of you should team up, working together to solve the murder. You reluctantly agreed. Two minds were better than one, and you wanted to get to the bottom of this. You helped Abe string caution tape around the area, making a point to avoid looking at the body. You then sat on the couch and held your head in your hands. You regretted ever begging William to leave home and have a weekend out. Your head snapped up at the sound of someone approaching. Damien looked around the small group gathered in the lounge, confusion etched into his features. The butler hesitantly explained what had occurred. 

"A murder? Who?" Everyone held their breath for a moment, avoiding the mayor's gaze. He looked over at you and realized how disheveled you were. "Who is it, (Y/N)?" All eyes were on you, now. You chewed on the inside of your cheek, not wanting to give in to the gravity of the situation.

"Damien, it's..." you sighed, finally looking him in the eye, "it's Mark." He took a step back, shocked by your answer. 

"Mark... killed? Who would do such a thing?"

"That's what me and my partner are trying to figure out." Abe motioned between you and himself. He glanced between everyone else in the room. "I believe the killer is right here, amongst us... in this very house. For now, we're all stuck here. While me and my partner investigate, the rest of you need to return to your rooms, hunker down, and pray to God you're not next to be murdered." Lightning flashed outside the windows. Everyone in the room slowly dispersed. Before Damien left, you grabbed his wrist. 

"Check on William for me." The mayor patted your hand but couldn't bring himself to look you in the eye.

"Yes, there are... important matters I need to discuss with the Colonel." 


	2. Chapter 2

You were crouched beside the detective, intently listening as he explained how the body temperature gives an estimated time of death. Abe came to the conclusion that Mark was killed around 1:30 in the morning. You tried to focus as he went into further detail about taking the temperature of a corpse and how it's best to do it rectally, but the muffled shouts coming from a nearby room held your attention. "Why don't I go poke around, look for some clues?" The detective seemed a little surprised at your suggestion. He quickly regained his composure. 

"Oh, yeah, good idea, partner. You go see if you can find more about the narrative. I've got a few more tests I need to run on the body." 

You crept closer to the room the voices were coming from. You were almost positive the ones inside were Damien and William. To confirm your suspicions, you cracked the door open. You could barely see Damien standing in the middle of the room.

_"...I am taking his matter very seriously."_

"Don't give me that horse-shit! I know you hated him, but goddamn it! He reached out to you."

_"Oh, what do you want from me?"_

"I want you to care!"

_"Just because I'm not weeping like a child doesn't mean that I don't care."_ You frowned. It had been a long time since you had heard either of them this upset and angry, especially at each other.

"Come talk to me when you pull your head out of your ass." You hardly had time to pull yourself out of your thoughts when Damien came barreling out of the room. He stopped inches away from colliding with you. His brows knitted together. 

"Damien, what hap-"

"Excuse me," he huffed. The mayor brushed past you and disappeared down the hall. Confused, you stepped into the room. William sat in an old, wicker chair towards the back of the room. His face was turned away from you, but you could see he was pinching the bridge of his nose. You made your way towards him. He sighed before raising his voice. 

"Damien, I don't-- oh." His voice softened upon realizing it was only you. William looked you up and down, seeing right through the front you were holding. He immediately jumped up from his seat and wrapped you in his arms. You practically melted in his embrace. Tears started to pool in your eyes. You tried to fight them back, sniffling, but they slid down your cheeks anyways. William shifted to hold your face in his hands. He gently wiped the tears away with his thumb. You gave him a watery smile.

"Sorry for getting so emotional all of a sudden." William scoffed, pulling you back into a bear hug. 

"Nonsense! There is nothing to apologize for, my dear." He was quiet for a moment. You could pretty much see the gears in his mind turning. "This has been an emotional day... for everyone." Even though he didn't explicitly say it, you knew this was his way of admitting that he was upset about Mark, too. You pulled him closer, leaning your forehead against his. His mustache quirked as a smirk formed on his lips. You narrowed your eyes, wondering what mischief the man was up to now. "Do you think that 'detective' can find the killer? Honestly, if he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week." You couldn't help the laugh that bubbled in your chest. William's face brightened at your response. "There's my favorite smile!" He peppered your face with light kisses, causing you to laugh even more. 

"Alright, enough!" you exclaimed in between laughs. "To answer your question, no, I don't think he can do it on his own. That's why I'm helping him." William stepped back. Confusion etched into his features.

"You're really helping him?" He rolled his eyes when you nodded. "Come on, (Y/N)! We all know how Mark died!" When you crossed your arms, waiting for him to explain. William launched into a long and dramatic recount of how he believed Mark died. He waved his arms around and gave a probably offensive impression of Mark. William believed that he caused his own demise, drinking too much and stumbling down the staircase. "...and that's what happened. Probably, anyway. If you need to corroborate this story with anyone else, go ahead and investigate the entire house." You'd be lying if you said you weren't a little hurt. You didn't understand why he was suddenly shutting you out, just because you were working with the detective.

"Will..." He stepped back and sat in the wicker chair, turning his face away from you. 

"Go on, I'll be here when you're done," he sighed. You were about to say something else, but the butler called your name from the doorway. You hesitated before following him.

The meeting with the butler was largely underwhelming, and the chef wasn't much help either. All you learned from your chat was that Mark had hired Abe to do a background check on his staff. You were making your way out of the kitchen when you spotted Damien pacing outside. Thinking back on his argument with William, you decided to check on him. The sound of the door opening caught Damien's attention. He quickly made his way over, apologizing for the argument you overheard. "I know I'm supposed to be a leader in this scenario, but I can't help but feel lost. I don't have any answers, and I... just want to be alone." You put a hand on his shoulder.

"Damien, no one is expecting you to have all the answers or be the perfect leader, especially not right now. You just lost one of your childhood friends. It's completely normal to feel lost. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You can't help anyone if you don't take care of yourself first." A smile quirked the corners of his lips.

"Thanks, little monster. Don't know what I'd do without you." He patted your hand, and the smile was gone almost as quick as it came. "I'm going to go walk the grounds, see if I can process all of this. Send the Colonel my way next time you see him. We need to talk." 

Mark was gone. No, not in a metaphorical sense where his soul had left for a better place. His body was gone. Poof. Vanished. Nowhere to be found. Yep, this day just couldn't get any worse. You were pacing through the lounge, trying to keep yourself from dissolving into hysteria. You had passed the point of 'freaking out' and didn't know whether you wanted to curl into a ball and cry for hours or launch yourself into the void. It didn't help that the detective started discussing the possibility of the corpse reanimating with the butler and chef. When an arm draped across your shoulders right as lightning flashed, you nearly screamed. "Bully! Quite a storm out there. What are you doing in here, huddled in fear?" William gave your shoulders a squeeze. A goofy smile was plastered on his face.

"We have a zombie problem!" the chef exclaimed. 

"Ah, _homo necrosis_ , the most dangerous game," William said with a dramatic flourish. He looked over at you and winked. You pursed your lips. Whenever you were upset, he always cracked jokes to try to make you smile-- even in serious situations, such as this. Needless to say, you weren't really in the mood for it. William cleared his throat at your lack of response. "Well, I'm off to the grounds to see if I can catch a whiff of the old bag of bones." He left the room, laughing at his own joke.

Abe thought it would be best if the two of you stayed close for the remainder of the investigation. After all, you never know who you can trust. The two of you discussed possible motives while picking for clues in Mark's room. The place looked as if it had been ransacked. You stepped carefully, not wanting to mess with anything that could be considered evidence. A table in the corner of the room caught your eye. There were several framed photographs scattered about. They were all pictures of the gang; you, William, Damien, Mark, and Celine. One, in particular, caught your eye. The front glass was shattered, and the picture inside was only of William. "Weird..."

"Did you find a clue?"

"I don't know. Take a look at this picture-" you were interrupted by William waltzing into the room.

"Say, detective, I need to borrow your _friend_ here." Abe raised a brow, glancing between the two of you. Assuming it was spousal issues, he quickly assured you that he could continue the investigation on his own. "Bully! Take a walk with me." William linked his arm with yours, ushering you outside. "A breath of fresh air will do you good. You've been on edge since the body disappeared." You ran a hand through your hair.

"Yeah, it's... been a long day." William stopped walking. He watched you intently, while you glanced around the pool area. 

"Is that all?" You bit your lip, not wanting to sound conspiratorial. He sat down at the water's edge, motioning for you to do the same. "You don't have to be afraid to talk to me. You know that." 

"I'm just worried. What if Abe's right? What if one of us really is the murderer?" You flinched at the sudden flash of lightning. "I mean, how far into the investigation will they let us go until trying to stop us?" William took both of your hands in his. There was an intensity in his eyes you weren't sure you had ever seen before.

"At our wedding, when I vowed to never leave your side, I meant it. I will not allow any harm to come to you." You pulled one of your hands free and held out your little finger. 

"Pinky promise?" William smiled, wrapping his finger around yours. He pulled your hand closer and pressed a kiss to your knuckles.

"Pinky promise." Questions about the shattered picture frame pushed their way into your mind, but you did your best to quell them. Out of all of the chaos that had occurred, you were given a moment of peace. You were sure that more dismay would soon peer over the horizon. But this was the eye of the hurricane. For now, it was all quiet, and you wanted nothing more than to enjoy this moment with your husband.


	3. Chapter 3

The manor originally belonged to the Barnum family. It was where William grew up. His parents were wealthy, providing everything their son could ever desire. There were many wild parties hosted here when you were all younger. William was proud of his heritage, but he didn't let his family define who he was. Despite the fortune of his parents, he was incredibly humble and a hard worker. That was one of the things you loved about him. However, his world shifted when his parents passed. William had just returned from deployment when the news arrived. Old scandals his parents were involved in resurfaced. Everything he thought he knew about his family was a lie. That was when Mark entered the scene. He was just starting to make a reputation for himself in the acting world and used his newfound wealth to purchase the Barnum Manor. Mark's time in the mansion inflated his ego, or so you assumed. He never let William hear the end of it. The once happy home that you all had great memories in began to feel stuffy. Something about it changed, and it made you uneasy. The heavy atmosphere that seemingly moved into the manor with Mark only amplified, and it made your time here suffocating. It was having effects on everyone. 

You were snapped out of your thoughts when William suggested you further investigate the staff. He then ran off to explore the old golf course, resembling a child running to unwrap gifts on Christmas morning. A sad smile crossed your features. The manor was no longer the childhood home he remembered. 

"Have you seen the Colonel?" You jumped when Damien appeared behind you. You groaned, placing a hand to your forehead.

"Damn it! He just left. Sorry, Damien, I completely forgot to tell him that you were looking for him." The mayor waved you off.

"No matter, would you accompany me? There is something I'd like to discuss with you." The two of you walked across the patio. Damien voiced his concerns about the innocence of the detective. While anything is possible, you didn't really believe he was a suspect. He shared too much personal information, and you didn't pin him to be the master manipulator type. Damien nodded, halfway agreeing. He froze for a moment. His eyes widened. "Mayhaps our counting skills aren't as good as we assumed them to be." A knot formed in the pit of your stomach.

"You think..." you trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"It's possible, that in the shadows of this manor, unseen to any of us, lay hidden... a murderer." Lightning danced across the sky. Almost simultaneously, a gunshot sounded from inside. You and Damien wasted no time, running into the manor. The darkness that consumed the manor was suffocating you once more, and it had apparently infiltrated the minds of those inside. William and Abe were having a standoff. The two men had their gun sights trained on the other. Both were shouting profanities. Damien tried to diffuse the situation, but the tension only escalated. 

"This psycho tried to shoot me!"

"That's a bald-faced lie!" William went on to explain that he was merely doing some target practice when the detective approached. They continued to argue, waving their guns in each other's faces.

"Please, put the guns down before somebody else gets hurt!" you tried to reason. William glanced in your direction, while Abe paid you no mind.

"No, he knew I was onto him, so he tried to wack me off before I could finger him... as the murderer!" You held your breath, unsure of what to do. They were going to rip each other's throats out if someone didn't intervene. Damien was standing beside you, too shocked to do anything. You started to step forward, but he grabbed your wrist. 

"Don't, you'll get hurt," the mayor pleaded.

"What would you rather happen, Damien? They kill each other?" you snapped.

"I won't be called a murderer in my own home!" William snarled at the detective. The front door swung open with enough force to startle everyone. 

"Stop!" You blinked, hardly able to believe the sight. It was Celine, of all people. "What are you doing?" Abe put down his weapon. William kept a tight grip on his gun but slightly lowered his defenses.

"Celine?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Hold on, who the hell is 'Celine' and how do you know her?" Abe looked between you and William. Everyone ignored his question.

"Madam, I'm afraid you came at a very inopportune time." The butler wrung his hands, not wanting to be the one to tell her. The chef, however, had no empathy.

"Yeah, Mark's fuckin' dead!" That's when everyone jumped into the conversation. All of you blurted out that he had been murdered and his body was missing. Someone mentioned the zombie theory again, much to your dismay. The group moved to sit around the poker table, where everyone could lay out all the evidence that had been gathered so far. You tried your best to focus, but your mind was too foggy. It was hard to keep track of anything they were saying. You didn't snap out of your stupor until you realized that Celine was pointing at you. 

"You've been awfully quiet through all of this..." Everyone sitting around the table jumped on the bandwagon, questioning your innocence as if you had anything to do with the murder. You were confused. She didn't seriously think you were the killer, right? William took your hand in his and glared at the others. It was almost as if he dared them to speak against you again. Celine glanced at your joined hands before closing her eyes, taking a breath. "But I know I can trust you. I sense that you have a far greater part to play in all of this. (Y/N), will you help me find an answer."

"Of course." Abe's jaw dropped.

"Are you serious? No, there's no way I'm going to let you drag my partner off to their very likely death!" he shouted, slamming his hands on the table. The butler and chef both agreed. 

"Guys, it's ok. Celine's been like a sister to me for as long as I can remember. If she says it's safe, then I believe her." Celine smiled at you, and William nodded.

"They're right, you know. Celine can be trusted. There's no reason anyone should doubt her." The woman in question suggested that the group could wait outside if they were _that_ uncomfortable. Abe reluctantly agreed. Celine stood from her seat and nodded for you to follow. The two of you were climbing the staircase when Damien approached. He kept calling out to Celine, begging her to stop. He believed she was not in the right headspace to be dealing with the occult, not that she should be dealing with it in the first place... Taking a deep breath, Celine faced her brother. 

"There's more to this world than you could ever hope to imagine. I've just had my eyes opened to a small portion of it." She turned on her heel and left without saying another word. Damien's shoulders slumped. He wished you both luck before retreating back down the stairs. When you finally managed to catch up with Celine, she had already finished setting up whatever ritual she had planned. A large tapestry with odd symbols sewn into it was draped across the table. There were also candles and a crystal ball delicately placed in the center. Celine instructed you to sit in the chair across from her. She laid tarot cards in between each of the candles. Once more, your mind felt muddled. You could hardly keep your eyes open. Celine leaned forward, carefully watching your every movement. "Don't fight it. Trust the process, and find the answers." Dark spots flooded your vision, and soon everything faded to black.

You were having flashbacks, but they were... different. You knew they were your memories. You just couldn't help but feel as if you were seeing them through someone else's eyes. Then something strange occurred. You were standing near the garden, the chef and Abe by your side. Everything was hazy. You couldn't clearly see the face of the newcomer approaching. His laugh was warbled, nearly sounding inhuman. It made you feel sick. _"Employers come and go! Some die, some don't."_ The scenery around you lurched. It felt as if you were falling through the floor. You couldn't stay here any longer. You couldn't breathe. You couldn't see. You needed to get out.

You startled in your seat, gasping for air. Celine was obviously annoyed. She leaned forward, her eyes boring holes into your head. "What happened? Why did you stop?" she yelled. You blinked up at her. You were still recovering from whatever dimension she had flung you into. "Well, did you see something or someone?" 

"Shovel," you blurted. Celine raised a brow at you. You covered your face with your hands, worried that you were about to vomit. "Grumpy man. Garden." The witch scoffed.

"That doesn't answer anything! You need to go back, now!" She slammed her hands on the table, emphasizing her point. You flinched at the tone in her voice. Abe swung the door open, marching into the room with Damien. 

"What the shit is this?" If she wasn't angry before, she was now. Celine yelled for them to leave. She claimed that the two of you weren't done. Damien looked down at your disoriented form. Concern flashed across his features, then his face darkened.

"Celine, I think this is quite enough. Look at (Y/N)! They can barely hold their head up!" Celine slammed her hands on the table once more, raising her voice even louder than before.

_"It's enough when I say it's enough!"_ Damien shot Abe a look. The detective nodded and helped you to your feet. He walked you into the hall, asking you a million questions. You shook your head. The last thing you wanted to do was relive that hellhole. Abe sighed, pulling a small notebook and a pen out of his jacket pocket. You quickly scribbled a drawing of what you saw-- a man with a shovel. The detective furrowed his brows. He called in the chef and butler, quizzing them on what it could possibly mean. You leaned against the wall and listened to their conversation. You were still determined on helping the investigation, and your vertigo was beginning to fade.

Damien and Celine rejoined the group as Abe and the chef began arguing about whether or not George the groundskeeper could be a suspect. Damien had enough and finally snapped. "This is getting us nowhere. The two of you just go outside, and talk to this George, and be done with it!" Abe spluttered for a moment.

"Hold on a second, you're not coming with us?" The mayor twisted his cane in his hands, a nervous habit of his. He glanced between you and his sister.

"I need to stay here to help Celine and (Y/N), whom, may I point out, is clearly in no condition to be going on a manhunt." Celine whirled on her brother, quickly reprimanding him. She claimed that she did need anyone's help and especially not his. Damien's jaw dropped, and he looked to you. You pushed away from your spot on the wall and squared your shoulders.

"Damien, I appreciate your concern. I really do... but I'm an adult. I know my capabilities, and I'm going to help finish this investigation." Damien's jaw slackened. You could tell that he was hurt. He threw his hands in the air.

"Our friend is dead!" Everyone cast their eyes downward. A heavy silence hung in the air. Damien sighed. "I'm sorry. I just... need answers to all of this. I already lost one friend today." His voice was low, almost on the verge of falling apart. "I don't want to lose another." 

"Fine, but I have to stay here," Celine conceded. Damien turned his attention to you. The pain in his eyes made you want to stay, but you couldn't.

"I'm sorry. I have to help them." He nodded, slowly turning away from you. He and Celine walked down the hall, back into the small room. Your heart ached, but you knew this was what needed to be done. Abe snapped you out of your daze, saying it was time to go. Before leaving the manor, you turned to the butler. "Have you seen William?" He gave you a reassuring smile. 

"He appeared tired and went back to your room. If you'd like, I could let him know you inquired." You nodded, and the butler disappeared around the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry if some parts of this is shitty lol I'm more-so writing this for my own enjoyment than anything else


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: descriptions of death

The chef led you and Abe to the garden behind the mansion. Sure enough, the groundskeeper was there. The closer you got, the older the man appeared to be. He kept his focus on the task at hand, digging a large hole. Abe held up his weapon, ordering the groundskeeper to put his hands in the air. Most would have been afraid of having a gun shoved in their face, but he simply stopped digging and placed a hand on his hip, appearing more inconvenienced than anything. Once you were finally able to get a good look at his face, you froze for a moment. _George_. How could you have forgotten him? He had been the groundskeeper here since you were a teenager. You had loved how he seemed to speak only in riddles, but it annoyed William. Though, that was because you always figured them out before him. "Abe, put the gun down." The detective looked at you like you were crazy. You rolled your eyes. "He didn't do anything."

"How can you be so sure of that? For all we know, he's the one who stole the body and is digging the hole to bury him in!" 

"Employers come and go. Some die, some don't. Some are murdered, some aren't. What's my business in all of it?" 

"Oh, I don't know... maybe the killing part!" Abe shouted.

"It's not his business. That's the whole point, Abe. He just tends to the grounds, regardless of who's in charge," you justified. The detective's brows knit together, and George laughed.

"Glad to see you've kept your wits about you, after all these years." He grimaced, shaking his head. "Sad sight to see that you've gotten mixed up in... all of this." George motioned towards the mansion. Abe looked between the two of you. A fuse in his brain had apparently blown. He threw his hands in the air.

"Can we _please_ just get to the bottom of this before I lose my mind and start dabbling in murder myself?" 

George sighed. He explained that it had been fifteen years since he had gone into the manor, and he swore it would never happen again. Fifteen years ago, something dark had taken over the mansion. It was no longer a safe place. It eventually would devour all who walked through its doors. George looked to you, a sense of urgency etched into his features. "I'd leave if I was you, and get on out of here before it was too late. You don't want to end up like me, bound to this place." A shiver ran down your spine. What the hell was he talking about? "There is only one reason... one incident... one manifestation that will get me into that madhouse, and you had better pray to God that that reason never comes to pass." Your mouth had suddenly gone dry. You glanced at Abe and the chef, both of whom were pale in the face. They looked just as spooked as you felt. 

Thunder roared overhead. It entered the atmosphere with such a ferocity that the whole earth seemed to be trembling. George sprinted towards the manor with no hesitation. A knot formed in your stomach as you realized that whatever danger he had mentioned before was coming into fruition. A bright light was pulsing from every window of the mansion. You couldn't tell where it was coming from, and once you were inside, it was difficult to see where you were even going. As you all stumbled up the stairs, you caught sight of William. You latched onto his arm. He pulled you close to his chest, trying to shout above the noise. "What the hell is going on here?" You shook your head. You were still trying to figure that out yourself. A door swung open with a loud thud. The ritual room from earlier was the source of the bright light. You held up a hand to shield your eyes and managed to make out two silhouettes. One stood in the doorway, and the other was further back in the room. You couldn't make out their faces, but there was no doubt in your mind who the silhouettes belonged to. 

George was struggling to push the door closed. He shouted for help, but you were frozen in place. The detective stepped forward. Your eyes widened. "Stop!" The door slammed shut with a thunderous boom. The bright light subsided, and everything appeared to be back to normal. Your whole body was shaking. You couldn't catch a breath, and tears stung your eyes. Pulling away from William, you approached George. "Where's..." your voice cracked, "Celine? And Damien?" The groundskeeper gave you a look of pity, and, at that moment, he appeared much older. Dealing with this house's curse had finally caught up with him. He was tired. 

"Gone, and so is everyone else. Sorry, kid." George brushed past you and disappeared down the staircase, ignoring Abe's shouts. The chef quickly followed suit. The butler hesitantly approached. He placed a hand on yours and William's shoulders. 

"I know things seem far beyond your control right now, but such that it is for all of us here. I shall take my leave, and I implore you both to do the same." William shoved the butler away from himself. His nose wrinkled as he snarled,

"I won't let my friends die in this godforsaken house! And if you all are too much of a coward to do the same, you had best leave before I kill you myself." Your shoulders slumped. William was loyal to a fault. He'd rather die than feel as if he was abandoning his friends. You understood it. He had witnessed death firsthand during his time in the military, and the destruction followed him home as his friendships fell apart. But, at the same time, you were exhausted. The manor's evil fog had infiltrated your lungs, and you were suffocating. You just wanted to go home while you were still in the comfort of knowing that you and your husband were safe. 

Abe chased after William, attempting to further interrogate him. Your feet were glued to the floor. You couldn't bring yourself to go after them. You snapped out of your stupor when the butler held out a handkerchief. The tears that were falling from your cheeks had gone unnoticed until that moment. You gratefully accepted the small token of comfort. "I know you're all in a lot of pain, but... we  _ need _ to leave this place. There is only death here now." Like the others, he started down the hall. The butler cast one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing down the stairs.

You stared at the empty corridor, flinching when someone whispered in your ear. You whirled around but found no one there. Your brows furrowed as you blinked rapidly. Dark spots flooded your vision, and the ground seemed to be swaying beneath your feet. Your eyes were wild as you surveyed your surroundings. An overwhelming sense of deja vu flooded your system. You felt as if you were back in that strange realm Celine had thrown you in mere moments ago. The voices grew from whispers to distorted shouts. Placing your hands over your ears, you stumbled down the hall in an attempt to escape them. You shouted for William, for Abe, for anyone that could possibly come to your aid, but you were only met with silence. You couldn't hear anything over the voices, so you wandered the house, desperately hoping to find someone. The air was heavy, and you were panting by the time you made it to the kitchen. The lights continuously flickered as you ventured to a part of the manor you had not seen before. The world lurched, and you grabbed a nearby doorframe to steady yourself. As if on cue, reality returned to its normal state. You grimaced, fighting back the wave of nausea.

You glanced into the room. It was a small office. The desk was cluttered with documents and various books. You picked up one of the pages, confused by the erratic scribbles it held. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the pictures and newspaper clippings hanging across the wall. Several of them were connected with red string. Your confusion only intensified when you realized that they all had William as their primary focus. You quickly began shuffling through the papers lying around, trying to piece the puzzle together. Why was William being investigated? You jumped at the sound of his heavy footsteps approaching. He poked his head into the office and sighed. "There you are." His voice was much quieter than before, his agitation long gone. "I've been looking for--" William stopped mid-sentence. A card sitting on the shelf had caught his eye. He carefully held it up, allowing you to see that it was an invitation to your wedding. The small smile that graced his features vanished almost as quick as it came when he leaned forward to inspect the other documents lying on the shelf. "The detective's been keeping tabs on us?" His eyes narrowed at the corkboard on the wall. "The detective's been keeping tabs on  _ me?"  _ William's movements quickened. He pulled the stack of documents from your hands, glancing through them. "And Celine!" 

"What do you think all of this was for?" William threw the documents onto the desk. He mumbled something under his breath. When he caught your confused gaze, he threw his hands in the air. 

"Don't you see? He did this!"

"I'm not--"

"No, you don't understand. He's the one who orchestrated all of this!" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the office, shouting for Abe. You quickly followed suit. He stomped up the stairs, muttering how 'he' took his friends away. Your eyes widened as you realized that his gun was now in his hand.

"William, you need to calm down and think about this rationally. He might not even be guilty!"

"But what if he is, (y/n)? Then that means he... he took Celine. He took Damien.  _ Don't you care? _ " his voice cracked as he shouted, and your heart shattered into a million pieces. William continued to search for the detective, all while shouting about it. You wrung your hands. Sure, William had his issues, but he had never had a manic episode this bad before. You weren't sure how to help him snap out of it. Your guts twisted as William finally spotted Abe. The two men aimed their weapons at each other once more.

"You'd better choose your next words carefully, Colonel."

"Only my friends get to call me by that name, and you, sir, are no friend of mine." You stood behind William, placing a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged you away to step closer to Abe. His grip on the revolver tightened as the detective called him a murderer. "I didn't kill anybody. This is madness!"

"Oh, you want to talk about madness? Madness is stealing your best friend's wife." Your jaw slackened, and your mouth went dry. You grabbed your husband's arm.

"William, what is he talking about?" He pulled his arm from your grasp, keeping an aim at the detective. He briefly glanced in your direction. William quickly muttered for you to ignore his words. Abe scoffed.

"Of course, you kept all that hidden from (y/n), didn't you? They don't know that your enlistment ended a week before you actually went home. They don't know how you squeezed him for cash to fund your own sick sexual exploits with that very woman--" You didn't fight the familiar sting of tears as they freely flowed down your cheeks. You swallowed thickly in an attempt to get rid of the lump in your throat as William shouted for Abe to be quiet. "You were worried about getting caught. You were worried about ruining your marriage and your image as a war hero. You couldn't handle the guilt, so you plotted to kill your childhood friend!" No sooner than the final word had left his lips, William's finger tightened around the trigger. A fresh sense of horror filled your veins as you stared at the man standing before you. As he turned to face you, you realized that he was no more than a stranger. He tried to wrap you in his arms, but you shoved him away. Your chest was heaving as you backed against the banister.

"William, what have you done?" your voice was quiet but loud enough to break through to him. His hands shook as he stared down at the revolver. He couldn't give you an answer. Taking a breath, you mustered up what little tinge of courage was left in your heart. "William, give me the gun. You've done enough damage." He looked to you in disbelief. 

"What? No, (y/n), I... I haven't done anything wrong! I promised to keep you safe, and that's exactly what I was doing!" Anger bubbled in your chest as you shouted. 

"By doing what, William?  _ Cheating on me? _ Killing an innocent man to cover up the truth?"

"I was protecting you!" On that, you had finally had enough. You lunged forward and grabbed his wrist. William was taken off guard as you tried to wrench the revolver from his hand. He tried to push you away, but you wouldn't let go. A sudden crash of thunder caused you to flench. Your brows knit together at the burning sensation spreading across your abdomen, and you realized that William was standing as stiff as a board. You let go of his wrist and stepped back, surprised at the heat intensifying. You winced as you pressed a hand to your stomach. "(y/n), I..." he trailed off when your hand pulled away red. You blinked rapidly as everything seemed to go in slow motion. William reached for you, but you scrambled away. 

"Stay away from me." He stepped closer. Tears were streaming down his face.

"It was an accident, I swear!" He reached for you once more. You fought to get away, but you stumbled into the banister instead. You saw William's eyes widen. He rushed over, but it was too late.

Falling is an odd sensation, isn't it? Your insides twist all together as you await the impact. You know it won't take long, yet the breeze on your skin seems to go on forever. Maybe this was why Icarus took flight. Not to see the world from the heavens, but to feel the world cascading around himself. You closed your eyes. After all, the king's horses and men wouldn't be able to save you. Death is inevitable. Why try to slow down the clock, when you can simply enjoy the last few seconds? Though, if you had to change one thing in this moment, you would want William shouting your name to be the last thing you heard... not the resounding crack as you hit the tiled floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with my irregular uploading schedule lol
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a short, shitty chapter for today lol
> 
> the next phase of the series with more original work will be coming soon!

You couldn't see anything, not even your hand in front of your face. All you could do was stare into the inky darkness that surrounded you. A spotlight shined in the distance. You hesitantly walked closer, unable to see where the light was coming from. As you reached the edge of the light, it flickered, and Mark's body fell into the center. You fell backward, startled. You covered your mouth to keep yourself from screaming as Mark's head slowly turned to face you. He sat up with a grimace. The two of you stared at each other for a moment. A dark substance filled his eyes and began to drip down his cheeks. "It's not fair, isn't it?" He tilted his head, carefully watching your shivering form. A smirk crossed his lips. "You were the one destined for greatness, holding an innate power. You were the one that was supposed to live-- not him. Oh, well. We can't all have a happy ending." You opened your mouth to ask what he meant, but Mark threw his head back with a laugh. He flickered in and out of existence before finally vanishing, along with the light. You pulled your knees into your chest and hid your face. You were confused, sitting there heartbroken,. All you wanted was to follow Mark's lead and blink out of existence. 

You weren't sure how long you were sitting there before you heard your name being called. Thinking it was another illusion, you didn't budge. "Come on, you know how much I hate seeing our little monster upset." Your head snapped up, and relief flooded your system at the sight of Damien kneeling beside you. You lunged forward to give him a hug, only to fall flat. Damien laughed but quickly covered it with a cough. "Physicality doesn't exist in this plane of existence. We're basically... ghosts. Can't touch anything." 

"Good to know," you grumbled. Damien's smile faltered as his gaze flickered behind you. You glanced over your shoulder, frowning at the sight of Celine. You turned back, only to realize Damien had disappeared. You got to your feet with a scoff. "I'd love to know what I did to end up in hell of all places." 

"You're not in hell," Celine corrected. You crossed your arms, avoiding eye contact.

"Sure does feel like it." Celine sighed, slowly approaching you. She fidgeted for a moment. She was unsure where to begin. 

"Look, I'm sorry... for everything." You chewed the inside of your cheek. You didn't want to be talking to her, not after everything you had just discovered. "I know that I won't be able to say anything to make it better, but I convinced Damien to leave us alone for a few minutes. Please, just let me explain what I can." A heavy sigh escaped your lips, and you nodded. "As I'm sure you already know, the manor is cursed. After Mark and I moved in, he... changed. I thought it was just a side of living in that house, but he fell into a darkness that even I couldn't pull him out of. He began dabbling in the macabre, and he got too powerful too quickly. I honestly don't remember much of our time together. Whatever magic he used was potent, and I was essentially being mind-controlled. What happened between me and the Colonel... I just want you to know that it wasn't us. He was allowed to leave his enlistment early, and he wanted to surprise you. He came by the manor so I could help him with that. Mark brought out champagne, toasting to the Colonel's safe return. I'm still unsure as to what he spiked it with, but we came to several days later. Mark had pictures of... events... we didn't remember. He used them as blackmail. See, he had this twisted goal of breaking you and the Colonel apart. Mark claimed you had some 'special gift' that he needed, but he could only get it once the Colonel was out of the picture."

"Then, in the end, he trapped us in here with this broken shell and no way out. He planned for all of this to happen, and we played right into his hands. Now, that son of a bitch is out there, walking around in  _ my _ body." You rubbed your face. Your mind was spinning. It was hard to fully understand everything that was going on. 

"I know you're confused and overwhelmed. Mark has some twisted quest of gaining some kind of higher power, and he didn't care who he hurt in the process." You finally glanced up at Celine, and you could see the mixture of emotions dancing behind her eyes.

"Yeah, he has been kind of a bastard these last few years," you said with a watery laugh. You rubbed your face to wipe away the last few remaining tears. "It's going to take some time to process everything and let go, but, at the end of the day, I know you weren't the one in control." Celine grinned. You shifted your weight, trying to think of a way to diffuse the tension. "It's a shame we can't get out of here and make him regret messing with us, huh?" Celine and Damien shared a look. 

"Death does not mean the same thing here." You raised a brow at her. Damien stepped forward.

"What Celine means by that is..." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "This doesn't have to be the end. You're trapped in here, just the same as us, but your body-- broken as it may be-- is still out there." Celine nodded.

"The same way that I brought you here, I can send you back." You pinched the bridge of your nose.

"But... how? I mean... I'm fuckin'  _ dead _ . I was shot then fell over fifteen feet. Pretty sure my body is a pile of mush right now."

"You can't survive on your own, but if we put our energies together, then we could make it work. I know it sounds crazy. Honestly, I don't know what the fuck is going on, but... I trust Celine. So, just trust us. Just let me in, and we can fix this together." Damien held out a hand. You hesitated for a moment.

"We're not going to force this on you. You have a choice here. Just know, this is the only way that you can escape." You wrung your hands, a nervous habit. Damien noticed and offered an encouraging smile.

"Just relax, it'll be okay." You nodded before turning your gaze to the floor.

"And what about William?" Celine took a sharp breath.

"He's a good man, but... he's dangerous right now. We can help him. We just have to get out of here first." You looked between the two. You squared your shoulders and gave a curt nod. Celine held up her hands, and a faint, red glow began emitting from her. Meanwhile, Damien started glowing blue. Your vision started to tunnel, causing you to panic. Damien then held up his hands.

"Take a deep breath. This will work. I promise. You don't have to worry about anything, I'll make sure you stay safe."

A bright last flashed in front of your eyes, and thunder rumbled from above. The light subsided, allowing you to see your surroundings. You quickly sat up and gasped for breath. Your hands roamed across your body, looking for any sign that you were still injured, but you were completely healed. You got to your feet and spotted William sitting across the foyer. A look of surprise adorned his tear-soaked face. He wasted no time in crossing the room, wrapping you in his arms. William peppered your face in kisses, which earned a laugh from you. He beamed at the sound. "I... I thought you were dead," he whispered as he brushed his thumbs across your cheeks. "I mean, of course, you're not dead! How could you be dead? I mean, I wouldn't have killed you. I  _ didn't _ kill you!" Your smile faltered. He pulled away from you with a dramatic gasp. "I didn't kill  _ anybody _ . Of course, this was all a joke, wasn't it? It was all just a joke!" Tears stung your eyes, and you did everything in your power to fight them back. You knew that playing into a delusion would eventually come back to bite you in the ass, but... he looked so happy. You all deserved at least a little happy before the world came crashing down again. So, you painted on a fake smile and nodded.

"Yeah, it was all just a joke. It was Damien's idea." William barked out a laugh as he spun around the foyer, trying to get you to dance with him.

"Oh, of course, he did. That rapscallion! He always planned the best pranks. This was a good one. He almost had me! He's hiding somewhere, isn't he? Waiting to be found! Damien, where are you? Celine? It's time to come out now!" William wandered down the hall, still calling out for Damien and Celine. 

You leaned against the corner table and finally let the tears cascade. Your shoulders shook with each silent sob.  _ 'Don't worry. It'll be better soon.'  _ You nodded. Damien was right. Things would get better as soon as you left this godforsaken place.  _ 'Before we go, could you grab my cane for me? I'd rather not leave it here.'  _ You nodded, wiping the tears away with the corner of your sleeve. You reached for the cane but stopped just before touching its surface. Dread filled your veins. Something was off about this, but you couldn't put your finger on what... then again, it was probably just the manor. After all, Damien promised that everything would be okay, and when had he steered your wrong before? You grabbed the cane and stumbled backward. It was almost as if an invisible force had punched you in the chest. "What the hell was that?" you croaked. The air had suddenly gone thick, and you were having a hard time regaining your breath. You looked up to discover that the mirror no longer displayed your reflection but Damien. You stepped closer, inspecting it. The room was dark, and it was hard to see his features. A sad smile crossed his lips. 

"I'm sorry, (y/n). I hope someday you'll forgive me." A chill ran down your spine.

"Damien, what are you talking about? What's going on?" He hummed, tussling his hair. You frowned. Damien always kept his hair slicked back. He had claimed that any other style made him look disheveled and unprepared for the day. So, why was he changing that now?

"It's like the old saying goes... two's company, three's a crowd-- no offense. It's hard enough for two souls to inhabit one body, and we were risking being ejected with the three of us there. I pulled a card from Celine's book and used this mirror as a gateway for a sort of pocket reality. Here, you can be safe." 

"You're leaving me here?  _ Alone?"  _

"Again, I hope someday you'll come to realize that it had to be done. Things are..." He twitched. "changing in here. It had to be done." Anger bubbled in your chest. 

"Bullshit! You just used me to get a free body!" Damien's deadpan expression was starting to get on your nerves. It looked like he was a bored kid at the zoo with his stare boring holes into your skull.

"That's a heavy accusation. I'd like to hear on what basis you'd believe such. If  _ my  _ memory serves me correctly, we only promised to fix your body and get you own of the darkness. Did we not do that?" You pressed your lips into a thin line. Damien popped his neck before saying, "You were only placed here for your own protection."

"Damn it, Damien! Those exact fucking words are what got me killed in the first place!" He smirked at your outburst. It was like he was  _ trying _ to agitate you. "Wipe that smug look off your face before I break your goddamn nose," you growled, which only seemed to amuse him more. 

"I'd love to see you try, darling, but I doubt you'd even put a dent in it." That was the last straw. You couldn't sit here and take his taunting any longer. You threw a punch at Damien, momentarily forgetting you were divided by a mirror. After you made contact with its surface, you snatched your hand away with a hiss of pain. You glanced back up to see the mirror riddled with cracks, and Damien was staring at you with a look of genuine shock. He snapped out of his stupor, and the smirk returned. "That was certainly unexpected. I now see why he was so fond of you." Your brows furrowed as you tried to decipher what he meant by that. He closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, all color was gone. They were filled with darkness. You quickly stepped away from the mirror, and a low chuckle escaped his throat. "Afraid of the real monster, darling?" He reached up and peeled one of the glass shards off of the mirror. A small, black hole remained, and it emitted a loud static sound. You grimaced at it. "Expect my company again." You clenched your jaw. His words almost sounded like a threat. He eyed you for a brief moment before turning on his heel, heading towards the manor's front door. 


	6. Chapter 6

  
You wandered the manor, trying to get your bearings straight. Everything was dark and hazy. The air was thick, almost unbreathable. William's shouts still rang in your ears. Your heart tore itself apart at the thought of losing him again. A sudden realization sank to the bottom of your stomach as you stumbled up the stairs. What had happened to Abe? Was he still there, dying alone? Your chest was heaving by the time you made it up the spiraling staircase. In the corner of the corridor, you spotted a dark mass. Blinking rapidly, worried it was your eyes deceiving you, you cautiously approached. It held the appearance of fog with twisting tendrils. The more you focused on it, the thicker it became. Chewing the inside of your cheek, you waved your hand through the mass. It shied away from your touch and revealed a thin piece of thread. You glanced around, unable to see what it was connected to. You realized it was fraying in the center, on the verge of splitting. Without thinking, you took the thread in your hand. You were knocked backward, but your grip on the thread tightened. 

Dark spots flooded your vision. A searing pain blossomed in your chest, leaving you wheezing. You clawed at your shirt in an attempt to find the source of the fire spreading through your body. A fresh sense of horror filled your veins when you felt an all too familiar liquid being soaked into the fabric. A voice, hardly above a whisper, called your name. You looked around, only seeing darkness. The voice grew louder, and tears filled your eyes in relief. "Abe?" 

"(Y/N), what's going on? Where are you?" Each word caused a new round of pain in your chest. You grimaced, shaking your head.

"I... don't know." You looked down at the thread in your hand. You could feel it tighten. It would surely snap apart if you let go of it. Setting your jaw, you clenched your fist. You weren't sure how, but you had a feeling that this thread was connecting you and Abe. 

"I'm dying, aren't I?" he scoffed, leading to a series of coughs. You grabbed your chest with your free hand. The pain was only growing. "That's why I'm hearing voices. Guess I'll be hearing from all of the partners I let down, huh?" You swallowed thickly, the metallic taste of blood now filling your mouth.

"You're not gonna die, Abe. I won't let you." Neither of you spoke for a moment. You closed your eyes, not that it made a difference. You were still surrounded by darkness, much like the place of in-between you experienced on your own journey from life and death. You whispered encouragements. It was obvious from the lack of response that he didn't believe you, but you could sense that he appreciated it anyway. 

You weren't sure how long you sat there, holding Abe's lifeline, but you didn't mind. It was the only thing connecting you to the outside world. You had grown accustomed to the pain by now, and the thought of death no longer scared you. You just knew that Abe deserved better than to waste away alone. The thread suddenly went loose, and you feared it was from Abe finally passing through the veil. You were surprised when you opened your eyes to see the thread fully intact and emitting a soft glow. Your surroundings slowly faded back to the dim version of the manor. The thread began to be pulled away from you, but you tried your best to cling to it. "I don't know what you did or how you managed to do it, but... thank you." A fuzzy version of Abe was sitting by your side. He got to his feet and inspected his clothing, surprised to find that they were no longer stained with his blood. He glanced over the banister and grimaced. You followed his line of sight and saw nothing out of the ordinary, but you wondered if this reality masked some of the evidence of your demise. "I won't let your death go in vain. I'll make that bastard pay. I'll promise you that." Abe turned on his heel and stormed down the corridor. Before you could try to hold on, the thread snapped out of your grasp. You gasped, running after Abe. Your eyes searched wildly for the thread as Abe's figure began to flicker in and out of existence. 

"Abe, wait! Don't go!" He continued down the stairs, unable to hear your pleads. You lunged at him, only to fall straight to the ground. Abe continued to flicker away. "Please, don't leave. I don't want to be alone." The detective reached the front door. He placed his hand on the doorknob and vanished from your sight. Your lip quivered as you curled into yourself, hugging your knees as tight as you could. You hid your face as tears cascaded down your cheeks. Sobs shook your shoulders and echoed throughout the old manor. 

Time passed differently in your realm. What felt like weeks or months for you only amounted to a few minutes in the outside world. At least, that's what you thought of it. There was no way for you to actually tell time. None of the clocks in the manor moved. The doors leading outside were locked, and every time you looked out a window you only saw darkness. You just couldn't bring yourself to believe that you had actually been trapped in that damned dimension for several years. The only face you occasionally saw was in the broken mirror. Damien would stand there and watch you. Still resenting him, you never spoke or acknowledged his presence. You were unable to wrap your mind around his new persona. You understood that the body contained both his and Celine's souls, but he didn't act like either one of them. It was like a completely different person was wearing your friend's face as a mask. 

You draped yourself across the couch with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. You were past the point of wanting to rip your hair out. You rubbed your face. Over the years, you had plenty of time to contemplate where you would go once you found a way to escape. If given the chance, you would even brave death alone if it meant you could get out of this godforsaken manor. "Perhaps I can be of assistance." You nearly jumped out of your skin at the sound of someone else's voice. You rolled off the side of the couch before quickly bouncing to your feet. He tilted his head back with a laugh. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that. Though, I should have expected it. Can't really sneak up on someone who hasn't had any human interaction in decades, can you?" You squinted at him. There was no way he could possibly be standing right in front of you, smiling as if there was nothing wrong in the world. "Oh, come on! Loosen up a little, would ya?" He crossed the living room and draped an arm around your shoulders. He gave you a tight squeeze to emphasize his point. You froze, resembling a deer caught in headlights. He waved a hand in front of your face. "Hello? Anyone home?" You shook your head, blinking rapidly. 

"I... I just don't..." You pulled out of his grasp and took a few steps away from him. "Mark, how did you get here?" His brows knit together as he scoffed.

"You really don't believe it's me, do you? Can't say I blame you. I mean, this place is supposed to be a fortress!" He threw his arms open with a dramatic spin, voice echoing through the manor. "The perfect cage for his little bird. He was so hellbent on 'keeping you safe,' yet he didn't even lock the door. Strange, isn't it?" 

"What are you talking about?" Mark shook his head. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders once again, sweeping you into the foyer. He motioned towards the broken mirror. 

"This is the gateway between your little dimension and everywhere else. If it was still intact, it would be virtually impossible to break in or out of this place, but because it's cracked... it leaves room for possibilities. Though, I still haven't figured out why he did that." You felt the heat rise into your face as embarrassment flooded your system. Mark raised a brow at you. 

"Well, Damien didn't really do that on purpose. You see, I kinda got pissed and forgot that we were separated by the mirror, then I... just... punched it." Mark grabbed your shoulders, turning you to fully face him. His face had lit up, and he almost seemed joyous about the news. 

"You broke the mirror?" Your brows knitted together, unsure as to why that was so important. Mark laughed and pulled you into a hug. "I know there was something special about you!" He let you go, stepping over towards the mirror. His hand hovered over its surface. "Come on, let's get out of here! We've got to see what you're really capable of." He held out his free hand, waiting for you to take it. You stared at him for a moment. His smile was sharper than you remembered it, and there was a lifelessness behind his eyes that made you uneasy. He beckoned you closer. "You were never destined to be sedentary. You deserve better than being trapped here for all eternity. I'm sorry that Damien couldn't see that in the first place. If I had known, I never would have allowed it." You chewed your lip, finally yielding. You placed your hand into his. He gave it a squeeze and leaned into the mirror. It felt as if a jolt of electricity shot through your arm and into your entire body. Before you could cry out in pain, your knees buckled and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to everyone who has put up with my shitty writing and stuck around to read this :) yall are the real MVP's <3


	7. Author’s Note

Hello, everyone!

First and foremost, I’d like to, once again, thank everyone that’s taken the time out of their day to read this. It wasn’t anything that I expected to get much of a response from. I started writing it for my own amusement and decided to post after having written several chapters’ worth of content. I can’t tell you how much it warms my heart every time I get an email, alerting me about kudos or a new comment. You guys remind me why I love being an author, so, truly, thank you for that. 

I do apologize for not being on top of updating the story. I do have a lot planned for it— I promise! It will all be published in due time. However, it might take a little while. I got a pretty nasty head injury a few weeks ago that I’m still struggling to recover from. It’s hard for me to concentrate or look at a computer screen, as I’m having some cognitive and vision issues that I’m working through. It’s going to take some time before I’m well enough to go back to combing through Mark’s videos and writing off of them.   
  
That being said, I have been toying with some ideas on how to get back to writing for my favorite characters. I know that it’s recently become a trend on TikTok to write emails and/or letters to people from various characters. I’ve thought about possibly setting something like that up on Etsy... but would anyone be interested in that? If so, should I write for all of the egos or just a select few? I’d love to hear some input from you guys! :) <3


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